Ali never knew what it meant to be loved.

For the first several years of her life, she lived in commercial breeding facility. Her world was cold, metallic, and painfully repetitive. She wasn’t a cherished family member—just a means to an end. Litter after litter, season after season, Ali was used as a tool to produce puppies for profit. She was never held just to be comforted. No one looked into her eyes to see who she truly was.

When the time finally came for her to leave the breeding facility—when her body had given all it could—Ali was no longer “useful” to the people who profited from her suffering. But for Ali, this was not the end. It was, finally, the beginning.

Ali was rescued due to a partnership between BISSELL Pet Foundation (BPF) and National Mill Dog Rescue (NMDR). Every year, BPF facilitates and funds the transport of more than 1,000 dogs and puppies surrendered to NMDR, thanks to the help from our generous donors. Ali arrived during our latest mission with dirty fur, empty eyes, and a body exhausted from years of neglect. But she also carried with her something even more heartbreaking—an undiagnosed mammary tumor, discovered during her spay surgery.

It’s an all-too-common outcome for breeding dogs, especially those from large-scale breeding facilities. Without proper veterinary care, without basic compassion, medical issues go unnoticed until it’s nearly too late. Her tumor was a painful reminder of the years no one was watching, no one was caring.

But that’s not where Ali’s story ends.

BPF transported Ali to Happy Life Animal Rescue in New York, where she wagged her tail when someone spoke kindly to her. She learned what it meant to walk outside on grass, to feel the sun without the harsh shadow of a cage. She will begin to trust, to heal, and eventually, to love.

Ali is safe now. She’s learning how to be a dog again, one day at a time.

But here’s the truth that breaks our hearts: there are thousands of Alis still waiting. Still locked in cages in commercial breeding facilities. Still giving birth to litter after litter, their bodies used up, their spirits ignored. Commercial breeders or puppy mills—whether massive warehouses or smaller operations hiding behind a polished front—operate with varying levels of neglect. But even the “cleaner” ones strip dogs of dignity, of companionship, of health, and of joy.

Ali’s life has changed—but she reminds us of the countless dogs still stuck in that silent suffering.

We tell Ali’s story not just because it deserves to be heard, but because she is not the exception. She is the example. And we can’t look away.

If you’re considering adding a pet to your family, please visit your local animal shelter first. Speak out against puppy mills and the breeders who profit off pain. And if you ever doubt the impact you can make, just look into Ali’s eyes. You’ll see a soul that’s finally learning what it means to be loved.

And you’ll remember the thousands more who are still waiting.

Until every pet has a home,